How to Win an Argument, Marcus Tullius Cicero
How to Win an Argument, Marcus Tullius Cicero
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How to Win an Argument
An Ancient Guide to the Art of Persuasion

Author: Marcus Tullius Cicero, James May

Narrator: Simon Vance

Unabridged: 3 hr 3 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/27/2016

Synopsis

All of us are faced countless times with the challenge of persuading others, whether we're trying to win a trivial argument with a friend or convince our coworkers about an important decision. Instead of relying on untrained instinct—and often failing as a result—we'd win more arguments if we learned the timeless art of verbal persuasion, rhetoric. How to Win an Argument gathers the rhetorical wisdom of Cicero from across his works and combines it with passages from his legal and political speeches to show his powerful techniques in action. The result is an enlightening and practical introduction to the secrets of persuasive speaking and writing—including strategies that are just as effective in today's offices, schools, courts, and political debates as they were in the Roman forum.

How to Win an Argument addresses proof based on rational argumentation, character, and emotion; the parts of speech; the plain, middle, and grand styles; how to persuade no matter what audience or circumstances you face; and more. Astonishingly relevant, this anthology of Cicero's rhetorical and oratorical wisdom will be enjoyed by anyone who ever needs to win arguments and influence people.

About Marcus Tullius Cicero

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC), commonly known as Cicero, was a Roman statesman, philosopher, orator, and lawyer. Born into an aristocratic family, he studied law and served a term as consul in 63 BC. As a member of the Senate, he witnessed the rise to prominence of Julius Caesar, whose followers forced him into exile and out of politics. Following the assassination of Caesar in 44 BC, to which he was a witness, he argued in front of the Senate for the restoration of the republic, but was unsuccessful. In 43 BC, he was murdered on the orders of Mark Antony. Cicero's works include philosophic writings, speeches made as a lawyer and a senator, and letters. His best-known writings include On the Orator, On the Republic, Hortensius, On the Nature of the Gods, On Duties, and Treatises on Friendship and Old Age.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Srividya

Excellent primer on Cicero and Classical Rhetoric. While the book does quote passages at length from Cicero's books, it is an interpretation of his principles on oratory and rhetoric. Extremely interesting and Simon Vance does an excellent job as always in making me want to keep listening to him for......more

Goodreads review by Massimo

Want to learn how to persuade others? This Princeton Press collection of Cicero's writings on the art of oratory, translated by James M. May, will do the trick! Oratory nowadays is both denigrated and not practiced, both of which attitudes are detrimental to society. After all, a lot of what we want......more

Goodreads review by William

Everyone in Ancient Rome was expected to be able to argue persuasively and give well-formed arguments. However, even by those standards, Marcus Tullius Cicero was a master of the craft. As such he wrote extensively on the Art of Rhetoric and several other subjects. He lived through troubled times in......more

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